BENGALURU: IN a temporary setback to the state government, the High Court on Thursday stayed the alleged allotment of 58.20 acres of reserved forest at Machohalli in Dasanapura hobli in the city to 36 private organisations. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice H G Ramesh and Justice P S Dinesh Kumar passed an interim order staying further proceedings pursuant to the government order dated December 18, 2017, allotting the land to the private organisations for various purposes.
Observing that there is prima facie evidence to indicate that it is forest land, the court also issued notice to the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Revenue Department; Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Forest Department, and emergent notice to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. The matter was adjourned for further hearing to February 17.
The order came on public interest litigation filed by 94-year-old A Krishnaswamy, a retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer and author residing off Bannerghatta Road, and M R Puttaswamy, resident of Lakshmipura, in Bengaluru North taluk.
The petitioners contended that the forest land was allotted illegally, but the government claimed it to be ‘gomala land’ earmarked for grazing. They stated that the land is notified reserved forest under the Karnataka Forest Act. The allotment was made only for political gain at the cost of the public at large, they claimed.
Land has 1L trees
According to the petition, while allotting the land to those organisations on lease for 30 years, the government has fixed `1 lakh lease per acre for one year. The allotted land with one lakh trees, including sandalwood, has a natural forest vegetation. Allotting such land for non-forest purposes will result in imbalance of ecology and environmental degradation. Hence, the land has to be preserved and protected as forest land. Otherwise, it will be a grave and irreparable loss caused to the reserved forest, the petitioners said.
Some of the organisations which were allotted land
Karnataka Pradesha Kurubara Sangha
Karnataka Arya Ediga Mahila Sangha
Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha
Karnataka Rajya Vishwakarma Samaja
Rajya Kuruhinashetty Kendra Sangha
Karnataka Padmasali Sangha
Karnataka Rajya Madivalara Sangha
Akhila Karnataka Valmiki Nayaka Mahasabha
